Three Blind Mice
by TuckerInLaw
Summary: The Doctor is blind. He's been keeping it a secret from Missy for a while by not coming to her. After three weeks he gives her a visit at last. And he makes one of the biggest mistakes he has ever made. (set after Oxygen and before Extremis)
1. Chapter 1

**A: Hello, guys! This is my version of what might happen between this two when the Doctor was blind. Is this story Twissy? Yep, you can say so, but I tried to hold onto the original spirit of these two, so... Yep, basically, Twissy. Not a big fan of it, I have a crazy friend who is mostly like Missy and... well, let's just say, poor Doctor and poor me. Enjoy the story!**

 **P.S. Yep, still having an exam period right now.**

 **WARNING: the first chapter contains _angst-ish_!**

* * *

The Doctor is going downstairs to the base of the university where he works. His steps are slow and thoughtful, his hands clench to the railings in case he'll fall down. Damn the man who invented spiral staircases and thought they are easy to use! The Doctor has a bag under his armpit, its edges are hanging down clumsily and rather dangerously, almost dropping the bag content. He isn't aware of it, though. His thoughts are occupied with another thing to worry about.

The Doctor isn't sure whether he should or should not do the thing he's going to do in his state. Actually, he isn't sure about anything that much nowadays. If Nardole knew what he was going to do, he wouldn't approve it even slightly. And still the Doctor thinks he owes her this.

Not like the vault will produce its own food in the near future.

The lock isn't easy to open, he misses some levers and buttons hence he has to repeat the combination again. Then he feels the bag sliding down, but he loses the moment and the bag is on the floor; great, now the food must be all over the floor.

'What takes you so long there, old man?' the Doctor hears irritated sounds from inside the vault.

'Nothing!' he roars immediately in response. He's on his knees, picking up sandwiches and packages of crisps and other fast food. He doesn't like her choice of food but he's not the prisoner here. She is. Meaning she's the one who chooses it.

All things are in the bag, he can proceed. The door is nearly open, but he feels a nervous cold inside his chest. He hesitates before pushing one last button.

The thing is she doesn't know everything yet. He's been delaying with giving her another visit after what happened with his eyes about three weeks ago. Why so? After all, she's his friend and the closest being in the Universe, he can share these things with her. He shared many intimate things with her in the past, not like she used them against him. Why not? Frankly, he was afraid. It's not like losing your right hand, or your left toe; it's an eyesight. If you don't have one hand, you always have the other; if you don't have a toe, you always have two whole legs. Being blind, you have no alternatives. Being blind makes you more vulnerable and more naked than you've ever been in your life.

'Are you going to stand there all night, Doctor?' she asks him, gently rolling the 'r' in his name.

He shakes his head. He has no way back now, she expects him to enter. What would she think if he simply left?

'The door was jammed. I'm coming in!' he answers her, opening the doors.

As the Doctor's entering, he hears Missy playing the piano. And as the _Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star_ goes by, he's getting an increasing feeling of a cold invisible arm gently stroking his spine. Sonic shades only dimly show him her sitting posture next to the musical instrument. Maybe she's looking at him all the time and he doesn't know it. Maybe she's not looking at him. Maybe she can feel his vulnerability. Maybe she already knows.

'Where's your guitar?!' she asks him, not stopping playing the melody.

'S–sorry?' he puts the bag near an armchair.

'Last time, I told you to bring it. You were more than happy then, remember?' she tsks when he doesn't give her a hint of recognition and maybe, just maybe, she rolls her eyes. 'Said you'll bring on cool shades and a T-shirt. Promised me a musician fight. And then you disappeared for three weeks! Three weeks! I've been drinking only tea and I can't say for sure if it didn't damage my brains. So-o-o. Shades and T-shirt – checked! Where is my promised fight and where the hell have you been?'

He feels awkward under her possible stare. There's something in her voice, something hidden in her words that could be just her concern for him.

'Ah, don't sound like that!' Doctor pushes himself into the armchair.

Missy stops playing. 'Like what?'

'Like _you_ care!'

'But I _do_ care,' she sniffs offensively. And adds: 'For myself. I guess you brought the food, right? Your good girl is quite peckish today.'

The Doctor takes the bag and holds it to her. He can hear her moving to him and in mere seconds she takes the bag with a swooshing sound. But instead of taking a peek at what's inside of it, she stands in front of him for no reason. He tries not to give out himself, holding every muscle on his face.

She sighs heavily and puts her arm on his shoulder. 'Okay, okay, I care for you. Don't give me a pout. It was only a joke! Ha-ha-ha. I'm still learning how to be good, alright?' she sits in a chair next to him taking out the bag content. She hums in approving way. 'You haven't told me where you've been.' Missy takes out a bag of crisps and opens it.

Doctor gulps silently, scratching his unshaven cheek. 'Nowhere.'

'What?!' she yelps. 'You've been here all the time, upstairs, teaching your little monkeys how to be _good?_ And didn't pay me a visit? That's really cruel of you, Doctor. You deserve to be punished.'

'I needed some time to be alone, okay?' he doesn't lie to her. 'It could have taken longer.'

'Thanks for not forgetting me?' she mocks him. Something hits his head and falls on his knees. A crisp.

'Sorry.'

'Well, you should be. Here I thought you've finally died and I can break free shamelessly at last. But no! You're alive, you just needed time to be alone. You're Mister No Fun. And talking about fun, I'm bored! Let's play the piano together!'

'Maybe you want to eat first? You said you were drinking nothing but a tea…'

'It's good to know that you've actually been listening to me, Doctor, but I'm really bored! C'mon, chop, chop!' she takes his hand and leads him to the instrument. 'There is a thing I've wanted to play but it's for four hands. And I'm not a mutant as far as you can see.'

Doctor exhales. He doesn't have a chance to just sit and talk to her now, does he? It's always been otherwise in the walls of the vault: he is the one who leads and teaches, and she is the one who listens to his gibberish and tries to learn something. Not today, apparently.

But the feeling of deep anxious increases within him. As he's led by her hand in the utmost darkness, he realises that the secret won't be a secret anymore if he intends to continue playing her games. She may not know about his blindness now, but she will in a near future when he'll stumble on something or look at her in the wrong direction.

'I don't know how to play the piano,' he comes up with an excuse and spreads it out.

'Don't worry, I'll fix it.' Missy's pulling him down, presumably on the bucket. The Doctor has nothing to do but obey. 'You're far better apprentice than I am.'

He feels her sitting next to him, and she just sits there, doing nothing. Is she looking at him, observing every inch of his face? Or what? What's she doing right at this moment? Does she know already? Did she guess?

The Doctor feels his shades pulled off of his nose, and now he can't even say where are the piano keys; he tries to catch his glasses in the air, but they're gone. The panic increases, he's lost, he's naked, and she's beside him, and she will know very soon what happened, and he just realises that he's not ready to expose this vulnerability of him, not yet, not ever.

'Give them back!' he commands, a note of panic escapes his control.

'They will only distract you. Remember you took away my quantum shredder once? You told me the same words of wisdom. Don't worry, I leave them here,' Missy says, and he hears a clatter somewhere on his right, where she's sitting. 'Happy?' she doesn't wait for his answer. 'Good. Now, see this thing?' She is pointing at something, she has to, but where? 'This thing is called "sheets". Not like you, guitarists, know about it much. _Sheets_. Understood? Perfect! We're ready for the difficult part.'

Her hands cover his, and he knows he's lost. Not because her grip is gentle and her nails scratching his fingers lightly, but because he has no way back. He looks down, presumably where the piano keys are, and keeps his head that way.

Missy leads him to the keys and starts gently pushing fingers to get the sound out. The melody is easy and he thinks he can repeat it in case she'll ask him to do so. She doesn't, and the sounds he makes are magical despite his lack of awareness of what he's doing. The piano was never his instrument, it required too much attention and time, and he's not the man who has them. But now it doesn't look like a big problem to play it, even though he's blind.

'Repeat,' he hears her order, and she leaves his hands.

Missy starts to play her part of the melody, and it beautifully merges with his. Their link is powerful, his part is somewhat deep, grave and slow, her part is quick and mild like it's not she who plays the piano but a cat. The music they make is sad but brings determination and hope. It's kind, and the Doctor can't believe his ears that Missy would like to play something like this with him. It means something.

But then he feels that something's happened wrong with their melody. To be precisely, with his part. It's become much darker and even graver. He tries to fix this, but it only worsens and now it's tuneless. Missy stops playing. He too.

He doesn't look at her. How can he? Looking at her was always not the easiest task, and now, in his state!... He can't take it any longer, he just can't, but he's not sure she has to know this, he's not sure of many things these times.

'I'm blind,' Doctor murmurs, only trying on his tongue how it sounds. And it sounds awful, his mouth is dry and the back of his neck is colder than ever.

'Yes, you are!' Missy exclaims and pats his head. 'But don't criticise yourself too much, that part was really well-done, we're nothing without our mistakes…'

'I'm serious!' he sparks, hiding his face in his hands. His elbows lie on the keys, making the piano bass angrily. He's hyperventilating. Why can't she just see it? Why can't she notice it? 'I'm blind,' he breathes heavily. 'I've been blind for three weeks and it's hell, Missy. I always have to rely on Nardole's guide. He's insufferable! "No planets, sir!" "Look what happened to you last time, sir!" "No, just think what would happen if she knew, sir!" And he's right! He's always right! I'm blind, and I can do nothing about it! And it makes me crazy.'

She's silent for good minute, and he's aware she's observing him from a new point of view. He feels a wave of her hand before his nose, she's checking if what he told her is true. He wishes it wasn't.

'Tell me how it happened,' she asks him.

And so he tells.

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 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A: Hi, again! After watching last episodes I had to rewrite this chapter – that's why it took so long to update the story. And now it's official, their relationship is nuts. But still it's very interesting to write and think about. It's all like Yeshua and Voland from 'Master and Margarita', they both have their meaning of good. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy what I've done!**

 _ **WARNING: to understand what the hell is happening in the middle of this chapter you should read it till the end.**_

 **Long P.S. About 'let Missy remind the Doctor of Clara Oswald'. I don't think the Doctor forgot her 100%. Remember the mighty 'Hell Bent'? He knew her name, when he told her the story, then there was her face on the graffiti on the TARDIS. He can do math, he learnt it was** _ **the Clara**_ **he'd been talking to. If my fuses don't sound convincing for you, just read the script of 'Hell Bent' page 61 the end of 56** **th** **something (you can find it in BBC's Script Library online, just google it). Besides, there was 'a thing' when he saw her name written in the memorial in 'For tonight we might die' (DW's spin off 'Class'). And there was even Clara's theme when the Doctor wanted to wipe out Bill's memory in 'Pilot', just listen closely. These all can't mean nothing!**

 **Still, thank you very much for your review, Andrey258, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.**

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His story is long and includes all important and insignificant details. Just as he likes. He tells her about spaceship; he says that there was no way to save Bill without him getting hurt; and then he smirks telling her how he defeated the system; only to frown with sadness again as he reaches the part of the story when he's still blind and fakes that he is okay. Missy doesn't interrupt him even for a second, sitting close to him and brushing his hand in a soothing way, swirling circles on it's back. She's nice to him, he can't deny it, even if it sounds ridiculous. Also, it sounds very wrong. It's not like her to be all cheering up and gentle; she's as gentle as a sharp knife.

When he ends the story, he takes several minutes to take a breath and to let her say something. But she doesn't. She is not going to say anything and it disturbs him. What's on her face right now? Is she pitying him? Or gloating every second he stays blind? Either way, he's getting a feeling he shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have visited her in the first place, that was very weak and senseless of him to do so. He regrets pouring it all down at her, like a waterfall.

'Poor you,' he hears her saying. And he thinks she is sincere, she really means it, but he can't take it that easy.

He's wanted to say something, but he's instantly shut up as he feels her hands embracing his body. She runs her hand up and down his spine, her nails gently scratching the back of his coat. He feels her warm breath on his ear, and it's making him tremble. Every cell of his existing cries that this is an ambush, that he should leave the vault immediately and never return. But he's warmed by her hug, somehow she makes it quite perfect for a queen of evil. Wrong.

'Please, tell me you don't mean it,' he muffles in her shoulder.

'Okay, I don't mean it,' Missy shrugs. 'I don't really mean it, but you should be punished for what you have done.'

'What for?'

'You haven't told me it all earlier. You didn't trust me. How can you expect, as you insist all this time, me to trust you, when you don't trust me?'

Trusting Missy all over again after she vilely lied to him about Gallifrey? After that pain and grief he came through? Trusting her again after she played with his friend back on new Skaro? After what she'd done to that girl, Clara, and didn't even slightly feel guilty? This must be a trap, this must be, but he's relaxed in her grip, he's enjoying her company too much to say it all aloud. She's gently scratching his scalp in a pleasant way, waiting for his answer.

'I might need some time to learn how to trust you again,' he grits his teeth, recalling all the things she's done to him in the past.

'But do you trust me right now?' Missy asks him. Her left hand smoothly strokes the back of his neck. 'Would you trust me to teach you, to guide you, only for today?'

He must stop playing her little wicked games, but he is not sure he can stop. He's lost in her embrace, his brain shut down. As she pins her nail in the back of his head, he can't stop himself from uttering 'yes'. He feels himself softening into her hug, but it doesn't last for long.

Her hands leave his body, only to touch his temples lightly.

He can practically hear her grinning. 'You really shouldn't, Doctor.'

* * *

The Doctor wakes up on the floor, but he can't actually understand where he is. Apparently, it's some sort of closet, the place is so small, his feet and head touch the walls of it. He stands up, his head feels heavy. The Time Lord feels strange dizziness, as if he's been sleeping for a long time.

'Missy?!' he calls out for her, but she's not answering him. He moans as his word reverberating in his ears.

He tries to recall what happened to him, but it's pointless. He can't remember a thing of what's happened in the vault. He can't even remember being in the vault in the first place.

The Doctor finds a hand on the door and pushes it lightly. He can hear birds singing on his right, and there are countless talkings coming from everywhere. There is a clock ticking somewhere on his left. As he makes steps he feels a wooden floor bending. He must be in his cabinet. He shoves his hand inside of the coat, fishing his sonic glasses out of it and putting them on his nose. Yes, it is his place, though shades don't give him a picture of it. But what exactly he forgot in that cupboard he was in a moment ago?

There are four knocks on the front door to his cabinet. The Doctor frowns. Who might that be?

'Come in,' he says taking the place at his desk.

The door creaks as it is pushed lightly, and dare he say even carefully. Someone just entered the room but he isn't sure who it is, the shades don't work properly, so he stays silent, waiting for a moment the stranger speaks up.

'We need to talk.' It's Bill and she sounds worried. And quite serious. He doesn't like her tone, it could mean nothing but problems.

'What is it?' the Doctor leans towards where her voice's been just a moment ago. The door is closed with a small thump.

'It's…' she stumbles to say something, but soon after she continues, 'it's just, you lied to me.' And that's when the Doctor knows what Bill's trying to tell him, but he's not sure he wants this conversation to move on. 'Well, not technically,' she adds in the end.

His hearts swollen, as he's having his last moments of hope she's talking about something else. Maybe it's something about her home task he gave her recently? Please, let it be not about his blindness. If anything, Bill must be the last person to know about his weak points. The Doctor is her teacher after all, he must teach her, not be an object of care and pity. He doesn't want all of that, care and pity, he's strong, he can overdue his little big problem, he doesn't want Bill to feel sorry for him. He's telling her nothing, anticipating what she's going to say next.

'Why didn't you say anything?' she asks him. He can't see what emotion is on her face, but it probably is that worry he's so afraid.

'What about?' the Doctor asks her plainly, keeping his voice down so no emotion could betray him.

'You didn't make it,' she's sitting in front of him. 'You're still blind.'

The Doctor makes a restrained laugh. 'Nonsense, I can see you clearly!'

'Don't lie to me. Don't.'

''I'm not lying to you, I'm fi–'

'You've been talking all this time with your bookshelf,' Bill says. 'All this bloody time! My face is like in metre from it! Just, I can't understand why you didn't tell me. You know I care for you, right? It's not like I'll use it all against you!'

'There are reasons I don't want to talk about that,' he sounds pathetic, as he pulls his shades off. There is no need to hide now and he wants to understand why they don't work properly.

'Bullshit!' she says and he hopes no one from the corridor has heard it. 'Just… argh, would it kill you if you told me?!'

'Yes, Bill. Can we talk about something else?' he tries to change the subject, but she's not willing to do so.

'No! No, we can't! Five weeks! You know what could have killed you all these time?! You could have been hit by a car! Or missed a step and fall down dead! Or that thing in the vault could have eaten you, hey! Why don't you trust _me_?!' Every word she's saying is like a stab in his guts, but he is powerless to say anything in his defence. 'I care…'

'Shut up. Just stop talking, alright!' he says, his hearts pounding hard in his chest. 'You want to talk, we'll talk. For now, get out!'

'But–'

His answer is abrupt, harsh. 'I'll see you later.' After that he says nothing, clenching the shades in his hands.

What has just happened between them two? He didn't mean to sound it all like that, and he's sure she planned a friendly tete-a-tete, not an outburst.

The Doctor doesn't hear her leaving; in fact, he doesn't hear anything at all. Everything he has sensed before is blank. There is no sound of birds outside, no whispers and sudden bursts out – nothing.

'Oh, dear,' someone chuckles behind him, rolling back 'r' in 'dear'. 'You're no-o-o fun at all.'

Just as then, he remembers what happened in the vault. He put all his guards down while being in her soft embrace, and that was his biggest mistake – trusting her, even if it was only for a moment. He agreed to trust her for today, but what he didn't realise then it's he agreed to let her inside his mind. No wonder his shades weren't working properly.

'And what would you tell her, as you've just put it, later?' Her hands are on his shoulders.

'None of your business.'

'You would tell her nothing,' Missy whispers in his ear. 'I hear your thoughts quite loud, Doctor. Besides, I'm not her. You trust me.'

'Why are you doing this?'

'I want to make you see again. Well, not see, but be more confident in your steps without having hands before you. Gave an image of your new pet, so I could poke around here and there, in these big brains of yours. I know what a hard job you've done just to give me a visit. That spiral staircase – what an obstacle! So sweet you care for me that much.'

'I don't want to play your games, Missy. Let me out!' he tries to storm out of the chair but her hands on his shoulders make sure he has no succeeded.

'You know what's your real problem, Doctor?' she chuckles. 'You're a man who thinks he doesn't need help. Basically, an idiot.'

'I don't need your help,' he growls at her. 'Let me out. Missy?' she only laughs at his pathetic attempts to lose her grip on him. 'Missy!'

But he can't do anything. She is in his mind. She is in control.

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 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A: Who's free from exams? Yay! I am! Finally, I can read whatever I want and watch whatever I want without getting crazy about English or Psychology exam! FI-NAL-LY! (Meaning, this story will be updated even faster.)**

 **Now, what has Missy prepared for the Doctor? Enjoy the chapter!**

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He's running, panting heavily as he's chased by unknown creatures. He stumbles at every step, high grass makes it difficult to run. Though being blind makes it more difficult, of course.

By air moisture and vegetation around, the Doctor figures out that he must be in a jungle, but what planet it is he can't tell. Who knows what Missy prepared for him, her meaning of 'good' was always not out of best intentions.

He falls down on tree roots, painfully spraining his ankle. Scrambling on his fours, the Doctor hides behind a tree, suppressing a moan from agonising feeling in his leg.

The jungle is full of shouts of his chasers, though what language they are speaking he can't tell. It's harsh and brute, full of primitive sounds. He's sure they don't have any guns or any bows, at least not this day. But do they have javelins – that's another question he doesn't know the answer to, yet.

The Doctor bites his lips, his ankle must be more than just sprained. It's on fire, he can barely move it without sending another wave of severe pain. He can't outrun his chasers, even an idiot would understand that. He's blind, he's not familiar with this place, and now the pain is one hell out of a problem. And he's out of breath, sitting in tree shades in hope these brutes won't find him.

What does Missy want from him? It's not her style to use his fragility against himself without any benefit. She likes teaching him, she likes pointing at his weak points and laugh at them so he could think about and patch up them. But how can he patch up his eyesight? She told him, she wants him to walk without hands before him. However, what other choices he has?

He grits his teeth as the pain becomes unbearable. He can't even think straight, every thought he has is somewhat blurry. Nevertheless, he still has to get out of this place, even if it's all in his head. Except he doesn't know how to.

Then, as the Doctor sits by the tree, he tries to block Missy. It's the easiest way to end all of this, he decides. He doesn't want to play the game he know he'll lose. First, it's not fair. Second, he didn't sign up for this. Third, c'mon, it's Missy! Even in their childhood she was one of the cheater, and God bless you if you're going to win.

He concentrates on his breathing – the only thing that connects him with the real world. In and out. The pain annoyingly doesn't fade away, so he let it be, knowing that it won't bother him when he'll break Missy's mental prison. He's making some progress, piece by piece slicing bars. But no, something… something is not alright. She's fighting back, making the mental link even stronger. He tries to break every wall she's making anew, but he's not fast enough. He hears her in his mind, she's amused by his pathetic attempts to break the game. In the end, the Doctor has even better protection from himself. Great.

'Listen,' he hears on his left.

The Doctor scowls as he reaches out for the source of the whisper but there is no one here. What does that suppose to mean? Listen to what?

Just as he asks these questions in his head, he starts to notice many things around him. Or, to be precise, it's she who unveils it all. The jungle surprisingly is full of sounds, it contains not only shouts of his primitive chasers. There are some birds on the trees, chirping quietly, as they discuss this strange old man who hides behind the tree. There are crackles of broken high grass, apparently, natives still are looking for the Doctor after losing the track of him and they're not so far away as it seemed. The wind is gently touching his hair, though it's not strong. And there are animals, wild animals, all hiding in every corner of the jungle, roaring unpleasantly as their place of hunting is occupied by far more stronger intelligent peasants.

But this is just one of Missy's game. Why does she have to be so careful about these little details? He's blind, it's not like he'd see the beauty of her playground. He smirks but regrets it immediately as his ankle reminds him of being broken. Perhaps, it's better he can't see its true state.

The Time Lord can practically feel a light smack on his face. 'Wrong thoughts!' he hears but again no one's here to say it. 'L-I-S-T-E-N!' she spells for him irritatedly.

So he does, not knowing for sure what she wants from him. He's still in the jungle, his chasers will find him very soon. Listen to what? To their glorying clasps as they're anticipating their new lunch? Listen to birds, which have no idea what's really going down there, on the ground?...

There's something though, in six metres ahead of him, a quiet sound of rustling grass. If it's one of the primitives, then – whatever, he's already lost this game, he won't resist. Only why is it crawling as silently as it can, when he knows it's here, right in front of him?

It jumps at him, whatever it is, and the moment it does, the Doctor forces his whole body to dodge away. He's sure he hears a deep angry roar, as the massive monster hits its nose with the tree and faints, thankfully. And by all means, what a giant creature it was! The tree he has sat by gives a crackling sound as it falls to the ground.

Primitive brutes have heard it – of course, they has, every corner of the jungle has heard that! – and he catches their steps as they're heading to the place he's been hiding. Not a good sign: they shout something he can barely understand, even their intonation is not quite clear. But he doesn't run, he's still immobile. He waits and hopes this silly play is over.

'Congratulations! You've made it,' Missy exclaims, as brutes around him all start making satisfying sounds.

'What?' the Doctor is still in some sort of shock. He feels his hand's being pulled up and with it the agonising pain in his ankle fades away.

'The first lesson is done, let's not waste any time and go straight to the next,' she leads him away, but where to, he can't understand.

'Wait, what lesson?' A soft tropic earth underneath him changes for a hard floor. 'What was that all about?'

'Ah?' she stops, turning around to him. 'You didn't understand? Don't worry, hon'. There are more to come. Nobody learns from a single lesson, and even you are no exception.'

'I told you, I don't want it.'

'You do, Doctor, you do. It takes time to realise it,' she smirks and pulls him before her. 'At least admit this: you've missed real puzzles.'

He doesn't have time to say 'no' to her, as she shoves him before her and disappears.

Well, what has she for him now?

* * *

 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A: Hi, guys! I decided to experiment a little, so this chapter was concentrated not on Missy's test but the relationship between the Doctor and her. As I've told already, it's quite interesting to observe, and by 'observing' I mean re-watching every scene they have together. Enjoy the story!**

 **Long P.S. Hi, Andrey258. Thanks again for your kind reviews, I might use some ideas in my next works. First thing firsts, I want to say that the Doctor's mother is a human, that's why the neural block worked in the episode. Just check the Eight Doctor's movie, he says this thing – a very secret thingy – somewhere in the end of it: 'I'm half human. On my mother's side.' Can't remember any other proofs now, but I'm sure there has to be a couple more of them. Also, it didn't go unnoticed to me that you want me to add Clara Oswald to this story. Sorry, but I just can't do it. This story is not about that, I just can't cut her in, I have a plan. Blurry and unstable, but still some sort of plan. Yes, Clara is my passion too, because of her kindness and braveness, because she's cute and bossy and because she's amazing English teacher (quite literally in my case). But this story is about the Doctor and Missy, and their interconnection. If you want so badly to make me write about Clara and the Doctor, just leave me a PM (private message) with a request about it and describe me what you want. Thanks.**

* * *

By her words, the Doctor expected a puzzle like Rubik's cube or a tank with piranhas. Something easy to solve, for him, even with his eyes closed or even blind. What he really did not expect is a maze. At least, he thinks it's a maze. Or it's just a very strange office centre. Or a very ordinary office centre, not like he's ever been in one of them.

The Doctor hates mazes, and Missy knows it perfectly. Even when his eyesight was okay, he always got lost in them. It's just he can't bring the idea of it, of its complicated twists and turns and bizarre concept of finding a way out. Besides, his unerring sense of direction just won't work in a labyrinth. That also might be a reason why he has never visited _Alice in Wonderland's_ section in Disneyland.

'Not fair,' he mutters, as he's making another turn.

The maze is just an ordinary maze with smooth ordinary walls, countless dead ends and an increasing will to go home. It doesn't have any unusual corridors that even slightly could help him to orientate. Every time he turns on the left or right, he has a feeling he's already walked this part of the labyrinth before.

'Not fair at all,' he says under his breath. The little he knew, all this time he's been watched closely.

'Do you want me to make it a little bit more interesting?' he hears Missy's deep amused tone in his head.

'No!' he answers her quickly before she adds some ocelot or deadly trick or whatever to the labyrinth.

'Then stop sulking!' she exclaims with excitement. 'You've been drooping for three weeks about your blindness; it's time to start seeing with other organs.'

A dead end. The Doctor turns around and goes the way he came.

His hands are before him, shaking a little. But he can't notice that with every step he makes the self-confidence is growing up. If anything, his pace is much faster, he hesitates less about his next move. Whatever Missy has on her mind, and whatever this play is about, it might be working.

And talking about other organs, why doesn't he just have his sonic equipment? That would really be in handy.

'Do you know that I use sonic shades to see a little?' he asks.

It takes her no time to answer. 'I know. But really, you can't rely on technologies too much. They're easy to break in wrong hands,' he can practically hear the smile on her face. Making him wonder what she has already done with his real glasses out there.

'Good point,' he nods.

It's a dead end again and he has every right to think it's the same one he stumbled on before. He sighs irritatedly, and she catches his annoyance just in time.

'So-o, what's your plan, dear? How are you going to see in the place with no sound?'

'I dunno. Maybe I should try to end it quickly.' The Doctor directs all his negative emotions towards her voice, attacking her consciousness. But it's not working.

'Ah, ah, ah!' she laughs at his pointless try. 'Don't try to resist me again or we'll stuck here forever, I'm not kidding. Besides, it's boring! And it won't teach you anything. C'mon, Doctor, think! You like thinking, you like solving mysteries and puzzles, and then boasting about how you solved them for the entire world! What changed?'

'Most of that time I could see –'

'Humbug!' she cut in, singing the word out loud. 'Last time, you defeated the entire evil corporation: no screwdriver, no eyesight, no intelligent companion, and by gods you were good!'

'I didn't have any choice then.' The Doctor shrugged. There was no way to go back to the TARDIS then but to dare the corporation to leave him and remainders of the crew without oxygen while being the living bomb.

'Sorry to say, dear, but you still don't. Someone has to protect this crazy Universe from itself, and, as far as I know, there is only one Champion worth this job.'

The sides of his mouth twitched, as he heard her saying that. Missy trying to cheer him up – no, that's just crazy, he smirks. He must have imagined all it up.

'Do you really mean it?' the Doctor asks more himself than her.

'Nope,' Missy answers him lightly, but he feels she's having another thing on her mind. However, is it a good sign or a bad, he can't tell for sure.

They're interrupted abruptly by a knock like on the door, but the main difference is the sound is everywhere and it doesn't stop. It spreads around like an echo. The Doctor stops and scowls, trying to understand the source of it because he thinks he's heard it somewhere before.

Missy tuts with disapproval. 'Sorry, it's Nardole.' The Doctor feels the link weaken, and with it he can detect that his body actually is lying on some soft surface. 'He doesn't know you're here, right?'

'No. And don't you dare to tell him!'

'I won't!' she squeals, tapping his head playfully in reality. 'I don't want him to interrupt our very enjoyable piano play. I'll be with you in five minutes.'

This is it, the moment he's been waiting for. The psychic link became wobbly; he has a chance to escape her trap. He's touching the edge of it, just checking for any other surprises she might have prepared for him. It's not guarded by anything, no more hidden tricks, a very easy way out; he draws a deep sigh. He's almost got out, her mere presence is not aware of it but he has at least three layers to freedom. No more sick puzzles, no more tricks, goodbye to her maze!... But something stops him from breaking the mental projection. And just in time: he hears Nardole's voice outside of the vault's doors, asking if Mistress knew where the Doctor was. Of course, she did not know such a thing, Missy says. Moreover, she asks him to bring him here, 'this man of no honour', if he finds him.

The Doctor hesitates. Technically, she hasn't done anything horrible to him, has she? Well, Missy has given him an image of Bill arguing with him, but that was because she wanted him to understand something, her intention was not to torture him. Then she's given him that terrible pain in his ankle; but he's not sure that counts as a work of evil, it was more like her imagination run down with details. She's not playing with his mind because of boringness, even so she cannot really harm him, but he believes she wants to help him. Missy hasn't gloated about his damage. Maybe she's worth a try, maybe he should just let her do whatever she wants?

But what if he'll regret this choice later? What if she's only playing with his mind and she really has a devious plan hidden in her sleeve? She used to do that, to play with him just because it's funny. What has changed?

Nothing, that's the point. He still is an idiot, and she still knows it. If he's about to let her do her thing, he's fully responsible for its aftermath... But what if?– What if her motivation is good? What if he's wrong?

He pulls away, not quite pleased with his decision, but let it come what may. He'll probably regret it very soon, as it was his last chance to break this game.

'What dirty thoughts you have on your mind?' Missy asks him, showing up again somewhere out of the corner of the maze.

'What took you so long?' the Doctor ignores her question and goes in another direction from her because that might be the way out he's looking for.

'Nardole was quite persistent in checking my room. I think, he looked for you literally everywhere and this was the last place where you might be, naughty boy.'

So Nardole is searching for him, probably didn't find him in his study. And in the TARDIS, apparently. He might be panicking by now, the Doctor must be ready to come up with some excuse for that. 'And how did you convince him to go away?'

'Told him I was naked.'

'Are you?'

'Do you want me to?'

'Not like I'll see,' he retorts immediately.

He hears her smirking. 'Good point.' She squeezes his shoulder. And there's something in her voice and gesture, as if she's finally pleased hearing him joke off about his weakness. He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it, too.

Maybe there's a chance she's doing it for completely different reasons.

'I can see you getting all excited about my rehabilitation centre, don't even try to deny that. You're all like Christmas tree,' she says, and he doesn't want to fight back for the first time.

Because maybe, just maybe, he finally taught her how to do good.

* * *

 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	5. Chapter 5

The labyrinth isn't straightforward to solve, but by now he took in a principle of it. His weakness made him more careful of his moves, it made him remember all those little things in his study and the TARDIS. The labyrinth is almost the same thing, but far more complicated. Whenever he makes a turn, or whenever he comes across a dead end, he puts it all on an imaginary map. Funny thing, the Doctor notices, it's the first time he has an idea of where he might be in a maze and he's blind!

He hears a shuffle of Missy's dress behind him; Missy has never left him. And she's silent, never told him anything, never interrupted his electrified thoughts.

Then, an idea struck him all of the sudden. This labyrinth she's made for him is not about finding a way out. No, she knows he's rubbish at this kind of puzzle no matter if he can see or not. It's about imagination, making a picture of unseeable things in your head. Oh, that's clever, really clever. If you can't see what's around you, you can always make it up! Within reasons, of course. It won't be as close to the real picture, but it will be something! And that's all what he needs in the darkness, something to hold on to!

'Oh, look!–' Missy exclaims, suspiciously at the same moment he realised what this test is about. 'Ah, yes, sorry, you cannot. Here's your exit! In two metres ahead, you won't miss it.'

The Doctor stops. That can't be that simple, right?

'It's a trap?' he asks her, knowing the answer before she gives him one.

'Yep.' Missy smirks behind him. What has she got on her mind? 'Don't worry, it's not deadly. You can't die in your dreams no matter how much they look realistic. Or don't you trust me?'

Trusting Missy in this delicate case, huh, he really must have gone insane. However, now, when she holds him tight in the link, the Doctor can't do a thing but obey her, hoping she will release him afterwards.

He makes several steps towards, but there is nothing. He turns around, looking at where might be Missy with a silent question.

'One more little step, _s'il te plait_ ,' she says, impudent anticipation is in her voice.

And he obeys, making another step. But before he realises what has just happened, he falls down on a slick edge and his face hits the water.

Funny thing, the Doctor realises, he knew perfectly that whatever laid at the end of the labyrinth it would have been something unexpected. However, he also has to admit that he didn't expect _this_ coming. A paradox of expectations.

He opens his eyes after he shut them before falling into the pool, only to find out that he still can't see a thing. It makes him sad and curse Missy again, but he quickly understands that that's not her fault and that this pool is his new test she prepared for him. So, before Missy told him what he needs to do, he pulls himself under the water just to learn how it feels without seeing it. He hopes Missy will give him some time to adjust.

First thing firsts, being in the water feels very odd. He has a very surreal and unusual feeling; it differs far much from shutting your eyes in the water on purpose. The water around him is like a living jelly creature and, as if it ate the Doctor on dinner, every cell of him can sense its presence. When he moves his hand, there is a light pressure of water changing its position. The Doctor tries to take a dip to find a bottom, and the water unwillingly lets him do so. As far as he can understand, the bottom is like in seven metres below – that's quite deep. What does Missy want him to do?

He hears splashes above, Missy's calling him, sure thing. On his way to the surface he feels that something in the pool has been activated, the water around him became noticeably unstable. When he's almost reached the surface, he hears a little 'clunk' like something hit the bottom.

'What is it?' the Doctor asks, swimming closely to the safe place where Missy's standing.

There are sounds all around him that are similar to waterfalls. Missy chuckles.

'This thing? Oh, never mind that, I assure you it's nothing important.'

'Doesn't sound to me insignificant.'

'If I were you, my dear, I would worry about the key.' She coughs theatrically. He scowls, not quite understanding what she means.

'Key? What key?'

'The one I've just dropped accidentally.' _That clunk._ 'O-ops, slippery fingers, my bad! You do understand now that I'll close this door, your only one way out, and this room will be filled with water?.. Have fun!' she sings out and walks away, shutting the door behind her.

Well then, let's not waste any more time!

The Doctor dives into the water and heads to one of four corners. He knows she's probably thrown the key somewhere in the middle, nevertheless, he needs to understand the size of the pool. It takes him some time to reach it, as he momentarily turns around and, touching the wall, heads to another. He can hear pipes pouring water inside the room more intensively, probably he should surface while he can to take a breath. He reaches another corner in thirty seconds and dives out. The room is being filled with water very fast, he won't be able to measure the size of it, he just won't have enough time. So he swims to the exit and takes a header to the centre. He touches every centimetre of the bottom because it's the only way to find the key but there's nothing. How long will he manage to hold his breath until the key is found? How is he supposed to find a needle in a haystack?

The Doctor knows that there is no need for panic, this is only a simulation created by Missy's mind, so he won't die. But he still feels a slight echo of anxious making a hole in his chest. His head is full of what if's and there is nothing that could stop them.

 _What if he will face this kind of situation in the real world?_

The Doctor's rummaging the shallow bottom, his soak clothes prevent him from floating up. He makes abrupt sweeps in case the key is somewhere at his elbow. But it is not.

 _What if he will never find this key?_

He comes out of the water to catch a breath. Experimentally, he stretches his left hand up in the air and faces a thing he was so afraid of. Tips of his fingers touch the ceiling. The Time Lord inhales deeply and disappears in the water.

 _What if he will suffocate?_

 _What if he will not succeed?_

The key is nowhere to find. He doubts it even exists!

 ** _What if she lied him about the key?_**

The Doctor sucks in his last few centimetres of air gap before the room's filled with water. From now on, he depends on his superior skill of holding breath. Meaning he has about fifteen minutes before he starts to suffocate.

This whole thing, this room and the key, it must be a puzzle, yes? There should be some secret levers or a secret button. The Doctor bolts to the wall direction, but stops on the midway. He's heard something moving on the bottom. The key!

He dives, searching the probable area of where it might be. His lungs have already started to hurt, yet he doesn't care about them much, he has a chance to find a key! He has a chance to pass this test!

His hand grabs something, and he's silently thanking everything in the world for having a hearing. He moves to the exit, anticipating to gasp a fresh air. Huh, that was easy, even though it all depended on his luck. Very soon, he touches the massive door, looking for a keyhole.

Only when it's too late, his lungs on fire, his head is light, he notices that not everything is alright with this key. Its surface is smooth, but not metallic, and the shape is funny, unordinary. Round-ish.

 _Stone._

 _Oh!_

Missy never plays a fair game.

There is no time to seek for the real key that must be still somewhere on the bottom, and there is no possibility to refresh the air in his lungs. He chokes, as he feels a strong wave of need for air. He sends distress calls for Missy, telling her that the game is gone too far, pleading to stop.

 _'Think, fool!' she shouts at him._

But he can't do even this thing, all of his body crying out for breath.

 _'You, idiot! Don't exaggerate your problem, drama queen! Just think!'_

The Doctor's holding the door hand, so not to slip away, as he notices that the door itself strangely gives in. He pushes it lightly and it's wide open just in a sec, as the room throws out its content.

He coughs abruptly on his fourths, spitting the water. Every part of his body is sore, and he feels like next time he cough he'll spit out his lungs. His eyes dart up from the floor and meet a lever boot. Missy tsks.

'You really believed me about the key!' By her tone, he knows she's disappointed, but he has no power to answer her. 'When you go out there, all blind and weak, will you believe every talking plant about what they say?'

'That was… too much,' the Doctor says between his breaths.

Missy bends down to his level, the water around them slowly starts to vanish.

'That was totally _harmless_ ,' she hisses. 'The reality is far crueler. And if you can't see it, it will eat you without noticing it. But you're not alone!' Missy finally helps him to stand up, she gently rubs his back. 'No, you have your _assistants_ to take with on adventures. Use them finally for their main purpose – to _assist_ you. Ask them what they see. Pretend to be too clever to give a damn about what's around you.'

'Won't they notice?' the Doctor asks. To be sincere, he's tired of Missy's lessons, his clothes are wet, and all he wants to do is to sleep it all off.

'They will if you look at them in the wrong direction.' He feels their link weaken, Missy's pulling back until he can feel a soft mattress underneath him.

He opens his eyes but, of course, there is no use. His clothes are no more soaked with water, lungs don't hurt, nothing sores and he feels okay. Apparently, all those things he's felt before were side effects of being too long in the psychic simulation.

All his senses are turning on. He can hear two clocks ticking simultaneously on walls, counting Missy's imprisonment days. His body is quite relaxed finally woken up from a nightmare. And there's a breath tickling his nose which is being exhaled by Missy.

'I'm going to fix our last problem,' she smiles. 'But I can't promise I'll be gentle even then.'

* * *

 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A: Hello, guys! So this is penultimate chapter of this story. It's not as moving and all shouting as the previous one, but, you know, something like that always happens before the storm.**

 **Also, big thanks to all of you who review the story. You really lift my spirit up!**

 **P.S. If you want me to write anything else (not in this story for it's almost complete) about Missy/Doctor, please, be my guest and write it in the PRIVATE MESSAGE. I don't bite, don't worry ;)**

* * *

'So, do you trust me?' Missy asks him.

After he broke the leg and almost suffocated–

'No.'

'Good. Are you still interested in your rehabilitation by my lead?'

'Maybe.'

'Maybe no or maybe yes? Will you leave the vault and pretend I haven't taught you a thing?'

'Alright, alright. Let's do this, but just promise me it won't be that traumatic again. It's not a psychic link after all.' The Doctor sighs, giving up for her.

'Well, you know me, can't assure you of that.' Her lips gently touch his nose and stay there for two seconds before the Doctor dodges away abruptly as he realises what she's doing. His blush is all over his face, and he curses his inability to hide his reaction from her.

'And what we're going to do now you and me?' he asks still uncomfortable from her sudden gentleness. He doesn't know what he's looking at: the ceiling or her face, so he turns his head away. Although she quickly notices his movement and stops his head right on the way, stretching his jaw with her hand.

'Why, we're going to take tea.'

He thinks he's heard her wrong, probably the side effect of their long psychic link connection, but when he's being pulled upward, and her hand squeezes his tightly and leads him ahead, into the darkness, he realises that every word said was said by serious intentions. And when he doesn't mind to take a rest and have a nice Earl Grey, he's not sure about her plans. Not like he knew them before, but at least then he expected something dirty to happen. Having tea has no pitfalls.

But it is having tea with the Master, and who knows how she will pervert such a nice pastime.

'God, don't be so stiff! It's not Academy graduation exams, there's nothing to be scared of. No traps, I promise,' she tries to reassure him, helping to sit down in the armchair. 'I'll plainly teach you some acting technique of mine I've got from Stanislavsky and improved. That doesn't sound scary, does it?'

The Doctor exhales. He leans back in the armchair, closing his eyes for one minute while Missy's boiling the kettle. Well then, if she's so determined about it all being safe maybe he's going to have some rest finally.

'You know what?' The Doctor opens one eye to point it at where Missy's making tea for them and smiles. 'If I didn't know better, I'd think you're being nice all of a sudden.'

'Good to hear you know better to even contemplate this kind of hogwash,' she strikes back, which makes him only laugh. She clears her throat in a business like way. 'A little advice for you to never make this look again. Always look with two eyes open so not to miss your target.'

'Like this?' The Doctor doesn't neglect her advice, opening the other eye and staring at the place he's heard her voice.

'Either look at the kettle or listen closely to my steps. Right at the moment, you're looking at nothing.'

'And now?' he asks, adjusting his head to her. He hears her shuffle on the left and the right, and his head turns with her movements.

'Not bad, but could be better.' She pours tea in Chinese cups. 'Ah! And don't forget to blink from time to time. That's really unnerving when you stare at someone with your blank eyes.'

He's silent for several moments, considering her care for him. It's not like she does that often, she prefers hiding her true emotions just as himself. However, at this moment she has never been so close to the meaning of 'good' as ever. Maybe she's doing it because they're friends, maybe it's all a big show for him, for fun or something else – only Missy knows what's her plan. But all that matters right now, is that for the first time he believes that all those fifty years weren't for nothing, and there's a chance she could really change.

'Thank you.' He is surprised to hear these words leaving his mouth but Missy definitely is surprised more than him. She says nothing. The Doctor coughs awkwardly. 'Pity we can't play the piano together. That one was good, don't you think?'

'Yeah,' Missy says, taking his hand and placing a cup in it. 'Not in the mood to play, actually. Your head literally gave me a headache; I need some time to restore,' she exhales tiredly after jumping into her chair.

'Is my head too big for your brains?' the Doctor smirks, hiding his smile behind the tea cup.

'Don't be so smug or I'll make sure it's scaled down in no time.' There's a note of warning in her voice, which is hilarious – it would never work on him, he knows she's not serious.

'Why do you do this?' he asks, extending his hand to take some sugar for his tea.

'Because you started it first, I'm only defending my pride; or, to be precise, what's left of it.'

'No, I mean _this_. Why do you help me?'

'I'm having fun–'

'Are you?' The Doctor gives her a curious look. She takes a pause before she answers:

'If you wanted to hear _something_ else – and we all know what this something is, or I would never be imprisoned in the vault – you're going to wait forever.'

'You just have no idea,' the Doctor says.

'Yep, no idea,' she quickly agrees with him. 'Think whatever you like, I don't care.'

'So modest.'

'Now you really are asking me to beat you up.'

'That's against every codex and morale to beat up a weak blind old man.' The Doctor winks at her, putting a cup of tea to his lips.

'Oh, so now you accept the fact there's more than one grey hair on you?–'

'Shut up.'

'You've started it, not me!' she cries out fake-offensively.

'No, really shut up. I hear steps outside!'

She gets quiet, probably listening closer to the sound outside of the doors. It's faint metallic stumps they hear, probably made by someone who's walking down the spiral stairs.

'Oh,' Missy whispers, stands up and sneaks to the doors as quietly as possible. 'That must be your maidservant looking for you. You aren't here, I suppose?'

'Of course.' The Doctor says, looking all confused. What Nardole wants from Missy the second time in a row? She told him, he's not here (even if that was a lie), what else does he need here?

'Just as I thought.' Missy says.

There's a loud static noise before Nardole's voice is everywhere. He sounds anxious, frightened even, his voice makes waves of a high-pitched note of panic, which makes the Doctor wonder for how long he's been down here when Nardole's been searching every corner up there for any sign of him. He probably won't be happy to find out that all that time the Doctor was here, with Missy, blind, drinking tea.

'Umm, Miss? Are you very-very sure you haven't seen the Doctor?' Nardole asks Missy, while the Doctor tries not to make any sound.

'Why?' Missy fakes deep concern for her friend, who's sitting right before her. 'I'm quite sure your master hasn't seen me in three weeks. What's going on?'

'Eh…' Nardole hesitates. The Doctor can hear him shuffle behind the door, making those little steps when he's anxious. 'Nothing. Sorry, bye.'

'Your nothing smells like a _fish_. Got it? Fish, something's fishy. No? Whatever.' If the Doctor could roll his eyes, he already would have had.

Nardole doesn't answer her though. He's already getting up the stairs, looking for another place where the Doctor could be hiding. Poor Nardole, if only he knew what's really happening in this vault…

'So-o-o,' Missy smiles, putting her cup away. 'Are you ready for acting masterclass?'

'Can I drink my tea first?' the Doctor moans. Missy takes away his cup in a swift motion, then she holds his hands and pushes him up.

'Nope. Your teatime has run out.'

'But… your head…' he comes with an excuse not to study now. In truth, he still needs some time to recover after their psychic connection, he didn't know Missy would restore so fast.

'We don't need _that_ to learn how to act,' she reassures him. 'Let's improve what we already have. And don't forget, my dear: _**blink**_.'

* * *

 **A: Flames, criticisms, thoughts, emotions, swearings are all welcomed. Just because I might not like it, doesn't mean you are not allowed to share it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A: Hello, guys! This is it, the longest chapter and the end of the story! Sorry for a little delay, I've been in a denial stage of the Doctor's nearing regeneration. Enjoy the story! ;)**

 **Special hello for Andrey258. _World Enough and Time_ , huh? Well, as for me, that episode was really tough and dark. For me. Not going to re-watch it in the near future. As for _The Doctor Falls_... I think it was done perfectly. From Missy/Master relationship to the moment when the Doctor actually falls (figurative speaking). Anyway, enjoy the last chapter!**

* * *

The Doctor is no good apprentice as Missy is no good teacher. Every time she shows him what to do, how to act like you can see, the Doctor has to ask her to move his limbs instead of showing it all on herself due to his loss of sight. That's quite irritating for her, Missy lost her temper twice in a row even; nevertheless, steady and slowly they start to understand each other, be more easygoing and more tolerant. She growls in despair but clenches her teeth as he pours the tea into a cup and spilt everything on the table – she tells him to try it again. And again. One more time, blind old man. Use your experience given from psychic projection. Stop when you feel something nasty is going to come, ask if you're not sure what you are doing, imagine the cup and the kettle in your hand, remember where you leave them. And blink, for god sake! They spend hours like that, the Doctor obediently does everything she tells him to do. Even when she makes him jump on one leg just out of the bore. And go in circles around the containment field.

Even so, he cannot notice a big progress in every step he makes. Missy prohibited him using his sonic shades, and that's okay with him now, it's totally understandable. If he can act without them like an ordinary sighted person, with them on his nose he will forget about any discomfort he felt before. Those spiral stairs will stop being something hard and dangerous to overcome.

By the end of their exercises, he's exhausted. His head's spinning around, the back hurts as he collapses in the armchair without her permission. How long have they been doing this? Three hours? Four? Six? He lost the count long ago.

When he's trying to catch his breath, he feels something touching his knees lightly as if asking his permission. 'Missy?' His voice is alarmed. All he wants to do is have a nap in his bedroom in the TARDIS, but apparently Missy has other plans on his account.

'Tired?' she asks him.

'As you see,' the Doctor shrugs. He looks at her in astonishment as her legs slowly sliding on his lap and in the end Missy is sitting on him, her arms hook his neck. What is she doing?

'There's one last thing we need to fix,' she answers his unspoken question. 'Won't hurt much.'

'Can it wait?' he moans tiredly. He hopes she'll say 'yes' but, of course, he hears another thing, and it's not a thing he'd like to hear.

'No,' she tells him, putting her fingers on his temples. 'Ready?'

The Doctor exhales heavily. Well, if she says this exercise is the last one, why not.

'Just make it quick.'

'Oh, don't you worry. I will.'

* * *

In this psychic projection, she gives him working sonic shades and he finally can see what's around him. He's not familiar with his surroundings, possibly something from Missy's imagination or even a memory.

It's a room. Square, no furniture, quite dusty and dirty and made of wood. He knows that the room is square and contains no furniture because of plain reflections received by his shades. He knows it's dusty and dirty because it's all in the air. And he knows the room is made of wood because he's standing on his knees and touches the wood.

The Doctor tries to scratch his head – a mere habit of doing it whenever he's confused – but finds out he can't. His hands are cuffed behind his back.

He touches the walls of Missy's mind only to inform her that her fantasies are quite sick. Little he knows then that he's more than right at this point.

The door in the room is being pulled open, and the first thing the Doctor can distinguish by specs is a gun in someone's hand. The barrel of it shakes, whoever has the gun is nervous as hell. What has Missy prepared for him?

'I'm sorry,' he hears a woman voice in the threshold. She's not unveiling her face, standing behind the door, but her voice tells about her enough. The Doctor's eyes inflate in disbelief, as he starts to realise to whom it belongs. 'I truly am.'

 _'Bill?'_

No, no, no, that can't be right. Missy can't throw at him _this_ , no way. It must be some sort of mistake, maybe it's someone who sounds like Bill, but not… anyway, it cannot be her.

'How could I ever be a friend to you?' The Doctor hears her again, and now there is no mistake, it's her, it's Bill, and she's pointing a gun at him. He shuffles uncomfortably on the floor and hears a light click made by the gun.

'I hate you!' Bill cries out, nervously trembling the gun. He wants to do something, to ask her not to make any rash decisions but he's too stunned to do anything of that. 'I'll kill you!'

At first, he considers her words, putting all that she's said all together like a puzzle. He's too astonished to say anything. Then he feels a flare of something ancient burning within him and he knows what it is. But it's not an imaginary companion towards whom it addresses.

'Then kill me,' the Doctor says, his voice is calm and serene regardless of what's happening inside of him. 'I won't stop you, I won't resist you. There's nothing a blind man can do against a bullet.'

Missy is not pleased with his answer, not at all. As he feels it, the Doctor notices another person entering the room, who's circling around him just in a moment as would a predator do. It takes him all the will not burst like a match just then.

'Sorry, have I misheard you? You surrender? Why? I can see from here that you freed yourself from handcuffs and you're capable of stopping her.'

The Doctor takes a deep breath before standing up from his place. The handcuffs slide down from his hands and touch the floor with a clunk. He massages his wrists gently, putting his eyes on where Missy is and giving her the most rigorous look he has.

'Because, Missy, Bill is my friend and she would never have done something like this as I would never have hurt her in any way. Nice story, but I'm not playing this.'

He is going to the exit of the room when Missy smirks and says:

'Yeah. You're right, how stupid of me! Sorry for forgetting that your _lil'_ pets are all best out of best and they're not capable of breaking your hearts.'

The Doctor stops and gives her another look.

'I didn't say that. But I'm not fighting her.' He points at Bill who's not moving as if she is frozen in time.

'Then she'll kill you, idiot!'

'I will not!–'

'Fine,' Missy interrupts him, as she can clearly see she can't make his mind changed. 'You know what? You've asked for it! I'm not feeling guilty.'

As Missy says her last word, the copy of Bill pulls the trigger. Missy's imagination is sufficiently detailed, but the Doctor doesn't care about it much. As the bullet hits his liver, he feels like someone put a very hot coal into it. He collapses on the floor: first, hitting his knees with the wood; then, bending over double; and not a single emotion crosses his face, not a single one. She tries to scare him, he knows that, and he has to remind himself that Bill would never do such a thing. That the woman who shot him just now is not Bill, it's Missy. And when it's all over, he's going to have a little chat with her.

Because whatever it is, the Doctor hasn't taught her how to be good like that.

* * *

'You are an idiot,' Missy's not shouting at him in despair, not shaking his shoulders: she simply declares this thing, stating that he's a fool and nothing can change him. However, the Doctor can feel the first hint of anger boiling inside of her.

He didn't fight back the friend who was going to kill him.

The Doctor, on the other hand, is angry with Missy. When he considered that throwing a blind man in the pool was too much, he was exaggerating. That thing was mean, even cruel, but nothing compared with this.

She's better than that.'

'Is she?' Missy asks him. 'You're always assuming it, that's why you're so easy to catch by surprise! You never expect someone close to you to stab you in the back!'

'We don't be cruel just to be cruel.' Emotions are burning him from the inside, but he refuses to let them all crush on Missy. 'We don't be mean just to be mean. I trust my friends, I trusted you. In your projection, it wasn't Bill who betrayed me, it was you.'

'You know why I did this, Doctor?'

'Why?' The Doctor folds his hands on the chest discontentedly.

'Because that's how your little precious humans work!' She shouts at him as if a loud sound will persuade the Doctor. 'Can't you see it? I'm preparing you for the real world out there! They've been betraying each other for the millennium and called it a progress. Stabbing each other in the back – my god, it's their hobby! You need to be careful, always alarmed around them. Don't let their cuteness fog your mind because eventually, Doctor, they'll make you regret. Haven't you ever learnt that?'

'Bill is different. She saw other worlds, she's not like them!'

'Of course. Of course, she's not, sorry,' Missy rolls her eyes. 'Every companion of yours is special. They're so different from each other: usually, it's the date of death on their grave that shows their uniqueness.'

'Shut up!'

'It's always the same cycle; don't even try to deny it. Every time you have someone, it always ends up with tears and broken hearts. It's time to be impenetrable like a stone, Doctor. It's time to become less naive and start living in the real world!'

'You know what's your real problem, Missy? Why all my attempts to change you might be for nothing? Because you never trust anyone. Because you just can't allow the idea that some people are good and what they do is sincere. You know how long it took me to realise that? Over seventy years. Seventy years to understand you are afraid to fall in the other hands. That you're afraid to become good because there's no guarantee that someone won't shoot you in the back.

And there's not. When I came here, I didn't know what would happen. I took a great risk in visiting you. Because just like you, I was afraid that you'll use your opportunity, my blindness. I was scared of what would you do with me when you asked me that question then. And still, I did trust you. I let you catch me. I let you play the game, play with me. That's the risk I took: no guarantee, no assurance and no backup! Only hope.'

'Have you ever counted how many times your hope was for nothing?' she only asks him.

He wants to say something else, he wants her to make see his point, but there's a loud heavy noise as the vault is being opened. The Doctor rushes to the piano, his hands search his sonic shades and finally grab them.

'I knew there was something fishy!' It's Nardole in the threshold of the vault. 'I should have done it in the first place!'

'Wait for me outside,' the Doctor orders him, as he puts his shades on his nose.

'Is everything alright, sir?' Poor Nardole probably gives Missy and him a look, but nobody answers him. Very soon though, he realises that he should really wait for the Doctor outside as the atmosphere in the vault is quite heavy and he does as he's told.

The Doctor goes down from the containment field towards Missy, who's surprisingly silent. He stands in front of her, not sure what to do with his hands so he puts them on her shoulders in comfort way.

'I can't force you to trust anyone, it's your decision. But just remember, not everyone is Ailla, Missy.' He squeezes her upper arms gently, but even then she doesn't make a sound. He wants to know what emotion she's wearing, but he doesn't want to step over boundaries again. So he just let her go, joining Nardole outside.

As the vault is closed and all locks are in their position, Nardole offers the Doctor a hand as usual but his offer is silently refused – the Doctor is already ahead of him on the way to the exit, so Nardole has to catch up with him.

'Sorry, sir, I know it's personal and all of that but… can I ask you a question?' Nardole asks him, as they're going up the stairs.

'Depends on what the question is,' the Doctor shrugs.

'Why was Missy sad?'

The Doctor stops abruptly, making Nardole collide with his back.

So that's what was on her face then! She was listening to him, he didn't need to make her understand his point, she knew everything perfectly!

'Umm, sir?' Nardole wakes him up from a trance state.

The Doctor keeps going. 'You're right. It's personal. I'm not answering it.'

* * *

 _Ten minutes before Extremis message_

Few days after, the Doctor is standing before the vault doors, nervously shuffling on one leg. He's not sure he needs to do a thing he's going to do, but he also knows that without it he can forget forever of any friendship with Missy.

'Can I come in?' he asks, trying to be polite.

'No-pe,' the Doctor hears her answer. By her voice, he feels she's not angry with him, not anymore at least.

The Doctor sits on the floor, his back leaning on the doors. If he wanted, he could easily open them and enter, but he promised himself he will not do anything she doesn't want him to do.

He breathes deeply, as he's trying to start saying words. It's not an easy task though, to ask for forgiveness.

'Missy?' he calls out for her in case she doesn't want to hear him in the first place.

'Yeah, Doctor?' she asks, her voice has no trail of interest whatsoever.

'I'm sorry.'

Missy's not saying a word, absorbing what he's just said. 'Okay.' She shrugs very soon.

He exhales in relief. They hurt each other then, three days ago, but now they're okay. He thought it would be only worse.

'Can I come in now?' the Doctor asks as the first hint of cold wind has touched his skin.

'No.'

'But it's cold,' he moans.

Her mocking answer is unexpected, but as soon as he hears it, he is ensured that the little quarrel they had is long forgotten and they're back on their road:

'Suffer, you deserve it.'

 _The end_

* * *

 **A: SO, this was it. Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, leave me a comment down below. Also, I'm open for any requests you have, just write me in PM.**


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